Chapter 14: The Case of the Headless Woman’s Corpse (Part 2)
Kelly Biotech Center was where Mom used to work, and Xiao Man immediately felt a surge of anxiety.
She had feared this outcome.
After the anchor finished reporting the news, the broadcast switched to the next story.
The elderly lady called Xiao Man to take a bath and go to bed. Lying in bed, Xiao Man couldn’t sleep soundly.
In her dreams, she saw her mother buried in the soil behind Kelly Biotech Center, struggling with all her might but unable to climb out of the pit that held her.
Before dawn, the cawing of crows startled Xiao Man awake, drenched in cold sweat.
She quickly sat up and saw a flock of crows circling outside the window, chattering noisily.
“Man-zi, do you know they found a female corpse at Kelly Biotech Center?”
Barefoot, Xiao Man ran to the window and asked, “Crows, do you know who she is?”
The crows replied, “The pigeon said it saw what the person who dumped the body looked like!”
Xiao Man then noticed a pigeon flying alongside the crows.
This pink-gray pigeon was one of the animals from Kelly Biotech Research Center. It was currently housed at the stray animal shelter. How did it get out?
The pigeon cooed, “The Great Sage told me to fly out and find Man-zi while people were feeding. From now on, I’ll be the messenger between you.”
The crows croaked mockingly, “Trust the droppings! The pink-gray pigeon is just droppings!”
The pigeon landed on Xiao Man’s windowsill and declared, “I am Man-zi’s messenger!”
Xiao Man nodded eagerly, “Great! Can you tell me about the person who dumped the body? Was it a man or a woman? What did they look like?”
The pigeon tilted its head thoughtfully and said, “One winter night last year, a man dressed in black from head to toe—wearing a black baseball cap, a black mask, and black gloves—carrying a black suitcase…”
Xiao Man quickly interrupted, “Wait, let me draw it.”
Though she couldn’t write many words yet, drawing was her strength. She could record this information through sketches and show it to her father.
She took out her pencil and began drawing: “Pigeon, is this right? Does he have any other features? How tall is he? How much does he weigh?”
The man was clad entirely in black, making it hard even for her father to recognize him.
The pigeon cooed, “He’s probably about the same build as ‘Sha Seng.’”
Xiao Man drew a figure named Lu Zhao, approximately 175 centimeters tall and weighing around 80 kilograms.
The pigeon added, “Oh, and when he was digging the pit, a part of his wrist was exposed—it had a Mickey Mouse tattoo.”
Xiao Man sketched the tattoo for the pigeon’s approval. The pigeon flapped its wings excitedly, saying, “Man-zi, your drawing is spot on. When he dropped the suitcase into the pit, the clasp broke open, and I saw a pair of high-heeled shoes sticking out. It scared me so much I fainted on the spot…”
After finishing, the pigeon collapsed on the windowsill, repeating the scene as if reliving it.
Xiao Man gently patted its head, determined to share this information with her father.
She hurried to wash her face and brush her teeth, thinking about how to find him.
Just as she changed her clothes and stepped out, she saw Zhou Lin’s car pulling into the yard.
Holding her sketchbook, she happily ran downstairs, calling out, “Dad… Dad…”
Zhou Lin had spent the entire night at the crime scene with his team. After the news aired, they received many tips, but none proved useful.
At dawn, he told everyone to go home, wash up, and rest briefly. Solving homicide cases was the sacred mission of their detective work.
There was still a tough battle ahead.
He drove home to shower and change, only to find Xiao Man up earlier than anyone else.
As he got out of the car, Xiao Man was already waiting by it.
He opened the door and asked, “Xiao Man, why are you up so early?”
Xiao Man happily handed him the sketchbook. “Dad, the crows and the pink-gray pigeon came to tell me before dawn. I drew what they told me.”
Zhou Lin took the book, impressed by the girl’s talent. He hadn’t expected her to be able to draw.
In their investigations, forensic artists recreated scenes based on eyewitness descriptions.
Animals tried to convey information to others, but no one understood.
But Xiao Man did.
He flipped through the pages, and when he saw the image of the woman’s legs and feet protruding from the suitcase, he was utterly shocked.
During the excavation of the body, only the investigating officers were present, and only they had filmed the scene.
Yet Xiao Man had restored the details through the animals’ accounts.
This provided valuable clues to identify the person who dumped the body.
Zhou Lin took photos of the drawings and sent them to Gu Ye, then made a phone call.
“Gu Ye, this is Xiao Man’s sketch based on the animals’ eyewitness accounts. Send someone to check tattoo parlors for anyone with a Mickey Mouse tattoo on their wrist. The suspect’s build is similar to Lu Zhao’s but younger—probably around thirty.”
“Understood, Captain Zhou. I’m on it.”
Zhou Lin put down the phone, stretched out his long arms, and lifted Xiao Man into a hug. “Xiao Man, you drew so well! The clues you provided are incredibly important!”
Xiao Man hugged his neck tightly. “It’s all thanks to the little animals. I’m just the messenger. Dad, are you hungry? I’ll check the kitchen for something to eat.”
Zhou Lin set her down. “Dad’s going to shower first. Come down to eat later—but no leafy greens, please.”
Xiao Man watched his retreating back and muttered, “A perfect dad who’s actually picky!”
Zhou Lin went upstairs, just as he was about to step into the bedroom, the old man pushed the door open.
“Dad, good morning!”
“Busy with the case all night without sleep? Since when have you cared so much about your own company?”
Zhou Zhenghong snorted coldly, showing no kindness early in the morning.
Zhou Lin leaned against the doorframe with a mischievous smile. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll collapse the lifetime’s work of your company after just three days at work?”
“You can’t expect anything decent from a dog’s mouth!” Zhou Zhenghong didn’t want to argue, his blood pressure already rising at dawn.
He took a few steps, then stopped. “By the way, I want to hire a professional art teacher to teach Xiao Man painting. Such a promising talent shouldn’t be wasted!”
“Sure!” Zhou Lin agreed readily. After all, their police force needed skilled forensic artists.
The old man was still devoted to nurturing talent for their police team.
After his shower, Zhou Lin lit a cigarette and stood by the window, pondering the case. Outside, Xiao Man was riding her dog, Blade, running laps along the tree-lined path around the villa, with crows and pigeons following her.
The harmonious scene between the little girl and the animals was heartwarming.
His phone rang—it was Lin Nan.
“Captain Zhou, all the DNA tests from last night’s missing persons reports and the headless female corpse have been completed. None matched, and the origin of the body remains unknown.”
“I’ve already asked Gu Ye to lead a team to investigate the person who dumped the body to see if they have any leads.”
“Captain Zhou, I have an idea, but I’m not sure…” Lin Nan hesitated. Wang Wen was also missing, and the only one who could verify her DNA was Xiao Man.